


what makes a home

by creativitea



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: 3x14, 3x15, Canon Compliant, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 19:35:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18239297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creativitea/pseuds/creativitea
Summary: magnus is reunited with his magic,and alec is protective of his home (and whether that is magnus, the apartment, or both; is up to you)





	what makes a home

**Author's Note:**

> set between 3x14 -3x15 (when i post this i still haven't watched more than sneakpeaks for 3x15)
> 
> (ps: this is quite heavy on the lorenzo-"hate" since it's from alec's pov!! i actually think he's an interesting character even tho he's a bit of an ass, and i totally love the actor, but i needed to get alec's anger across)

Without magic, Magnus wasn't himself. What good does knowing everything matters do, if you can't feel throughout your body that it does? You can't feel your own spark if the electricity has stopped running through your veins, and that's what it was like for Magnus. He didn't just feel weak without his magic, it felt like an echo. 

And Alec is being wonderful, seeing power in him where he doesn't feel it; and Magnus loves him so much for that. But he still needs his magic back, to feel like himself. If the eyeliners is like the stripes on a tiger, his magic is the instincts of one. He may look like himself with eyeliner put on by hand, but that doesn't mean he feels like himself.

So in the end going to Lorenzo wasn't a difficult choice to make. Magnus may be competitive, but his magic is worth more than his pride. (And yes, so is Alec)

Even though it's sad parting with his wonderful apartment, rooms filled with memories; it's not the first time he's moved, or given up material posessions; and though he enjoys the extravagant things, he knows they don't really matter. These walls are just walls, and the memories arent stuck to them when he leaves; those are something you take with you. (for better or for worse) 

When he leaves, they'll just be an echo of once was. 

* * *

Alec is fuming. But he's used to this, staying diplomatic and authoritative instead of losing his temper. (if you ignore that little instant outburst when Magnus first told him, his emotions got the better of him)

But... He knows it pays off. It's a strategics game; and he's good at it.

Even though he no longer believes that emotions are just a distraction (if there's one thing he's learned from Magnus, it's that they give him purpose), the shadowhunter ways still come in handy when he needs to defeat those who use the game to play unfairly. Alec is good at this because he respects it; and seeing people misuse the power it has, pisses him off. Maybe especially when they fuck over people he cares about... He is very protective. But the archer in him knows it's better to get an overview from a distance and then aim. So he looks out of the windows of the apartment, waiting for Lorenzo to arrive. Staying calm, reminding himself why he's doing this. He looks around the room, trying to absorb all of the memories. (And tries to not let them fuel his anger towards Lorenzo, but directs it all towards who he's fighting for)

Originally, they'd left the apartment together, locked it up, put all of Magnus's stuff in Alec's room temporarily (Magnus first told him that he was gonna rent a room somewhere, but Alec just told him "why don't you just stay with me for now?" so they settled on that solution) and they were going to get a drink at the hunters moon together after, when Magnus remembered something he needed to get from the apartment. "The Omamori you gave me is still in my nightstand!" and he seemed hesistant of having to meet Lorenzo again, that Alec had seen the oppurtunity and offered another solution. "I'll go get it for you. Just you go get that drink and meet me back at the institute, ok?". Maybe Magnus could see through him, but he was in a good mood and just gave him a kiss and reminded him where he'd left the keys. And when Alec held the omamori in his hands, he knew he had to do this. 

The omamori is in his pocket now, and Alec is ready to leave with it as soon as he has confronted Lorenzo.

"You really are despicable, aren't you?" maybe a little too direct, but this is Alec holding back, actually. He's here to call him out, and he's not gonna be subtle about it; but the goal is to avoid punching him in the face.

"I didn't know you came with the apartment." Lorenzo says all smug, like he expected this. Like it's feeding his ego. "That's funny." Alec responds, unimpressed. The only thing laughable here is that the guy actually think he's being a good leader.

 

"You just wanted to humiliate him" Alec aims straight at the target he's been eyeing.  
But it doesn't pierce through Lorenzo at all. "I did." he's just as forward.

"And the fact that he sent his little boyfriend to plead his case tells me that I more than succeeded" Alec paces towards the snake while it's hissing at him. The nerve of this guy. The more the he talks, the more his resentment towards him grows. He's such a shmuck, and it's very tempting to be less professional about this. But he's not gonna stoop down to his level. "I am the head of the new york institute. Don't speak to me like that."  
Alec tries to negotiate with him to get it back, but no budge. This whole conversation feels like proof that there's a difference between confidence and arrogance; and it's just as big of a contrast as Magnus and Lorenzo. And from up close, it's becoming really clear how different the two are. Alec's face twitches in disgust while listening to his awful speech about how being a leader is about flexing your authority.   
Not wanting to drag this out any longer, as he doesn't want to spend more time here than he has to, he gives him a real warning that he's gonna watch and wait for him to mess up, he's ready to take him down (it's not the first time he's exposed powerhungry smug egotistical "leaders" for who they really are, after all). They're always more selfdestructive than they're aware of, and karma always comes for them. The only thing Alec has to do is be ready to make sure they face the concequences for them as well.

  


* * *

It's not that Magnus hasn't noticed the warningsigns that his body is rejecting the magic, but he's too busy trying to celebrate that it's back to let it bother. He feels so alive again.

But it feels a little more real with the blood dripping from his nose, the red drop on his finger is like a big red flag. Yet, Magnus doesn't feel like he's willing to give it up. He'll just have to hide it better. 

Alec was already worried, and since Magnus wants him to be as happy as he is that his magic is back, he doesnt want give him more reason to worry; he wipes his nose with his sleeve. He could technically clean up with magic, yes; but even though he isn't quite taking this as a wakeupcall, he still knows better than to test it more than necessary. He can at least save that stamina for when he needs to pretend he's fine.

* * *

When he arrives at the institute he forgets that he's ready to pretend that everything is as good as he wants it to be, because when he enters Alec's room he notices that his boyfriend is tense, and that becomes first priority. "You okay?" 

"Yeah. I just.." Alec sighs like he's trying to calm down, so Magnus sits down next to him on the bed to help. Puts a hand on his back to show that he's there. "I decided to stay until Lorenzo came to have a word with him.." Alec admits.

"You didn't have to do that" Magnus interrupts. 

"Except I did." Alec hands Magnus the omamori. "I know you can stand up for yourself, but I still have your back. It's not just my job, it's who I am" Alec tells him, looking at him with such purpose; and when Magnus responds to that by running his hand comfortingly up and down his back, Alec seems to get a little less tense. 

"Anyway, I almost lost my temper with him.." He almost looks embarrased when he admits that. 

"I can relate to that" Magnus says to remind him that it's an easy mistake to make, laughing a little at himself. (because what else can he do at this point?)

"It just infuriates me... he did this just to flex his authority. He doesn't lead with compassion, but with ego. He willingly admitted he did this just to humiliate you..." Alec's anger is starting to build up again, so Magnus kisses him just to help him calm down again. And he does; he practically melts into him. "He can have his ego. I have all I need right here." 

* * *

Magnus looks up at the ceiling. Smiling to himself because of those adorable soft snores coming from the man laying next to him. Alec's arm is holding Magnus's head up, so his hand is stretched all the way over to his shoulder. His head is resting on the other shoulder, so Magus can feel the exhales touch his chest. His face looks adorable like this. The other arm stretches over and wraps itself around Magnus, holding him like he belongs there. It's almost like Alec is protective of him even in his sleep, and it makes Magnus want to protect this side of him. Soft and vulnerable, a side he doesn't often show to others than Magnus (and while Magnus loves that he gets to see this side like it's only for him, it's such a shame that more people don't see it).

Even though his authoritative side is definitely hot, it's this one that makes Magnus fall in love. Last time they were together in this bed was after their trainingsession, and as much as he treasures that memory, he has a hunch this one will stay with him longer.

His eyes move slowly across the room. Seeing all their stuff together is kinda nice, even though theres barely room for it in here. Though its impossible for Magnus to feel properly at home in  the institute,  its kind of nice sharing a space this way

Maybe moving in together wasnt such a bad idea after all? 

It did feel too soon when Alec asked, but... they've been through a lot since then, and... there's a certain comfort in this. It's not too close for comfort. It's getting closer to just being comfortable.

He doesn't really want to fall asleep, because that means he's closer to having to wake up from this (and be a downworlder amongst shadowhunters without having the option of going home when it's too much), but he just feels so safe and warm in Alec's arms that he can't help getting drowsy. So he kisses his forehead without pulling back again, and just closes his eyes.

 


End file.
